From the desk of Bob Smith...

Named after a governor from Virginia, James Barbour, one of the most delightful places to visit in the tri-state area is the cozy little village of Barboursville, West Virginia. If West Virginia is almost heaven then Barboursville is certainly a little piece of it. This year the Cabell County hot spot is celebrating its 200th birthday with a series of events peppered throughout the year. Special attractions for 2013 include an appearance by Lee Greenwood, at the village amphitheater, June 21st and a huge fireworks display July 4th. The entire list of events can be found at www.celebratebville.com. There is so much to enjoy when you set foot in Barboursville - from a fine dining experience at Blackhawk Grille, to the quaint array of shops and stores, Barboursville has something for everyone. A dazzling array of flowers adorn much of the downtown area and Christmas time reveals one of the most attractive and appealing display of lights and decorations in the tri-state. A good friend of mine is Alan Meek, former police chief of Barboursville. Allan has nothing but glowing remarks about his experience in this unique village. He says he has never met such generous, kind and loving people. Alan adds that if he had known he was going to be police chief for 9 and a half years he would have moved to Barboursville. Current residents know what they have and are proud of it. Visitors keep coming back to enjoy the experience all over again. It's no wonder the owners of Advantage Toyota chose Barboursville to set down roots. A toast to the village of Barboursville for 200 years of exciting and enduring history.

From the desk of Bob Smith...

In my most recent position as director of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, I largely was responsible for communicating with small businesses throughout much of the tri-state area. Our membership crossed state boundaries into West Virginia and Kentucky. The communication took the form of weekly e-newsletters, bi-monthly newsletters, biz4breakfast one hour workshops, business after hours and monthly luncheons as well as an annual trip to the state capitol in Columbus to meet with area legislators. In recent weeks there have been national and regional salutes to small businesses which encouraged customers to buy locally. I, for one, feel this should not just be a one time event each year but a consistent shopping experience. Another thing to remember is that small businesses are always looking for ways to go one-up on the competition and chamber involvement is a good way to do just that. In the words from a man by the name of Roy Smith (no relation) “The successful man is the one who finds out what is the matter with his business before his competitor does.” As a member of a Chamber of Commerce small businesses will thrive through the wide avenues of networking that are available to them. Small business is the backbone of our country's economy. So, the next time you're in the market for a shirt, a chainsaw, or even an automobile (Advantage Toyota is my pick), shop locally. It is the right thing to do

Toyota Donates $250,000 to Oklahoma Tornado Relief Efforts

Toyota today announced a $250,000 donation to support relief and rebuilding efforts for victims of the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma and the greater Oklahoma City area on May 20.  Funds will be allocated to immediate response and for mid-to-long term needs in the areas of food, small business revitalization and home rebuilding.  Toyota will also match employee contributions.

“On behalf of Toyota, we express our sincere condolences to everyone impacted by this devastating tornado. Our thoughts are with the affected families as they work to rebuild their lives,” said Latondra Newton, group vice president of philanthropy and chief diversity officer.

Courtesy of Toyota

Drive with care everyday

Being car considerate shouldn’t stop after the break-in. Drive with care every day and your car will reward you with longer intervals without repair.

• Do not race your car’s engine during start-up. This is a quick way to add years of wear to your engine, especially if it’s cold outside.
• Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive. The most wear to the engine and drive train occurs in the first ten to twenty minutes of operation.
• Warming the engine by letting it idle in the driveway is not a smart idea. The engine doesn’t operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and ultimately damaged components.
• Put less strain on your engine and automatic transmission by shifting to neutral at red lights. Otherwise, the engine is still working to push the car even while it’s stopped.
• Avoid driving at high speeds and accelerating quickly, especially when it’s very hot or very cold outside. Such driving behavior will result in more frequent repairs.
• Extend the life of your tires with careful driving. Observe posted speed limits. Avoid fast starts, stops, and turns. Avoid potholes and objects on the road. Don’t run over curbs or hit the tire against the curb when parking. And, of course, don’t burn rubber.
• When turning your steering wheel, don’t hold it in an extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds. Doing so can damage the power-steering pump.
• Consolidate your short driving trips. Most of the wear and tear — as well as the pollution your car generates — takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Doing several errands at once, during low traffic hours if possible, will keep your engine happier longer.

Courtesy of Reader's Digest

Toyota and National Center for Family Literacy Launch $10 Million Initiative

Toyota and the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) are launching Toyota Family Learning, a six-year initiative that will create a new model for literacy by expanding it beyond the walls of the classroom and into homes and communities. This new initiative will engage families in learning together both online and offline, incorporating digital elements launching later this year, including a website, mobile app, social media and more. Today, the first phase of Toyota Family Learning goes live: a grant program for communities to fund new family mentor and service learning programs targeting vulnerable families.

Five organizations will be awarded a three-year, $175,000 grant, in addition to a wide range of NCFL training and communication support, learning items and materials. Fifteen grants will be awarded over the course of the six-year initiative. Schools, libraries and community-based organizations that provide services to families are eligible to apply. Submissions are being accepted now through June 24 at www.toyotafamilylearning.org. Submissions will be evaluated on a number of factors, including strength of existing services, commitment from community partners, and strength and innovation of proposal. Grant recipients will be notified in July.

“The vision for Toyota Family Learning is to become a modern-day movement for families learning together and this grant program launch is the first of many steps we’ll be taking in the coming months and years to make that vision a reality,” said Sharon Darling, president and founder, NCFL. “The components of this initiative are all rooted in increasing Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time® that is so critical to improving family literacy.”

“For over 20 years, we’ve been proud and humbled by our partnership with NCFL, which has helped more than one million families learn and grow together,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of National Philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation at Toyota Motor North America. “We’re excited to build on this with the new Toyota Family Learning initiative and look forward to seeing how local community organizations will help expand our work beyond the classroom and into homes and communities.”

This new initiative is the latest in Toyota’s long-standing support of NCFL’s mission to advance family learning and literacy. Since 1991, Toyota has been a strategic partner to NCFL, providing more than $36 million to fund 256 literacy programs nationwide and impacting more than 1 million families. Program highlights include:

• Toyota Family Literacy Program: brings parents and children from immigrant families together in a classroom to learn and engage with culturally relevant programming.

• Toyota Teacher of the Year award: annually recognizes individual educators for their efforts to improve literacy among learners of all ages. The winner receives a $20,000 grant to implement his or her classroom project.

• Toyota Families in Schools: establishes learning services in schools and engages parents and at-risk students aged 5 to 12 years old by providing academic and home-life support.

Courtesy of Toyota

Toyota Care has you covered

“You’ll enjoy peace of mind with your new car purchase from Advantage Toyota,” says David Ball, General Manager. “Every new Toyota we sell comes with ToyotaCare and for two years or 25,000 miles (whichever comes first), ToyotaCare covers your normal factory-recommended scheduled maintenance and also includes 24/7 Roadside Assistance.”

Contact us for more details on this complimentary maintenance plan.

Take a look at the new and improved Advantage Toyota

Advantage Toyota just got better! Be sure to stop in and see us. Click here to take a look at our redesigned facilities.

Toyota: It's the obvious choice

From the desk of Bob Smith

Somewhere back in the annals of Rock n' Roll there was a song with the title, “Express Yourself.” I have no idea what the other lyrics were so I could be in trouble but here's my twist on that particular piece of music. Get it off your chest, let others know what's going on inside. I've heard it said that if you bottle things up, you can hurt yourself. And too, it's a good thing when a person is able to tell others what's going on without the fear of some confidence being revealed. Expressing yourself can have a negative effect if what you say is hurtful to other people.

On the other hand, it could be a delightful experience. Just recently I was at St. Mary's Medical Center with my wife. We were visiting some people from our church and we walked up to the information desk to ask for a room number. Without missing a beat, the lady behind the counter said, “I really like my Toyota. I've been driving it for 16 years.” Don't you just love it when people are friendly and personable? They light up in the process of expressing themselves. I missed a wonderful opportunity by not asking if she wanted to buy a new one. By the way, I am giving the same advice to myself, because I could l stand a little improvement in this area, as well. Express yourself. It could be a very positive encounter on both ends.

Enjoy the 2013 Toyota 4Runner at Advantage Toyota

You stand out in the crowd when you're behind the wheel of this SUV. It's the 2013 Toyota 4Runner and it's available at Advantage Toyota. Be sure to stop in and enjoy a test drive! Click here to learn more about this outstanding vehicle.

Maintenance Tip: How not to get stuck in the mud

“Go easy when you’re stuck,” advises Matt Smith, the service manager at Advantage Toyota.
When stuck in mud, don’t make the problem worse by damaging an expensive component. Gently rocking in an attempt to free the car is fine, however if it looks as though you’re really stuck, don’t keep at it. Throwing your car from forward to reverse and spinning tires at high speeds can generate lots of heat and can cause trouble for transmissions, clutches and differentials. It may be cheaper in the long run to call the tow truck rather than risk big repair bills down the road. It’s a good idea to carry a traction aid in the trunk, such as sand, gravel, or cat litter.

It's Throwback Thursday! Check out this old gem. Let's go places!

Built to handle off-road terrain and thrill-seeking passengers, the 2014 4Runner is ready for any adventure. Click here to see it in action. http://bit.ly/15aeH99